Hair spring regulator for watches



N v- 29, 1955 o. VON AESCH HAIR SPRING REGULATOR FOR WATCHES Filed Jan. 19, 1952 United States Patent HAIR SPRING REGULATOR FOR WATCHES Otto Von Aescli, Fontainemelon, Switzerland, assignor to Fabrique dHorlogerie' de' Fontainemelon, Fontamemelon, Neuchatel, Switzerland This invention relates to watchconstruction and" more particularly to regulators for the flat hairspring. of the balancewheel. I i

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved regulator arranged for coaxial movement with the balance axis and serving for limiting the active portion of the hairspring.

With the new regulator according to this invention the length of the active portion of the hairspring is determined by a pin and a guard which clamp the outer turn of the spiral spring. This regulator can be moved into a new regulating position in a single operation, in which the spiral is first released by the guard or key, then the regulator moved into the new position and thereafter the spiral is clamped again by the guard.

The regulator according to this invention is characterized more especially by the fact that the spiral is pinched between the pin and the guard or buckle by the action of a resilient arm tending to make the key effect a pivotal movement, this key being connected to a member so shaped that by pushing it into the appropriate positions the key or buckle is caused to effect a pivotal movement to release the spiral, whereupon the regulator itself is displaced to the effect of changing the length of the active portion of the spiral, this resilient arm being integral with said member.

In the drawing afiixed to this specification and forming part thereof an embodiment of the invention is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, while Fig. 2 is a partly cross-sectional view according to the line IIII in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the movable arm 9 is adjusted on the cock 2 by means of the index disc 3 about which it can turn with very heavy friction.

The regulator 1 is adjusted on the arm 9, about which it can turn with heavy friction, without however carrying it along around the disc 3.

The pin 4 is fixed to the regulator 1 either by swaging or by riveting. Its axis extends in parallel to the axis of the balance. It limits the play or clearance of the outer winding of the spiral 5 in the inward direction.

The pivotal axis of the key 6 is located in a point 7 situated in plan on a straight line extending through the point of limitation of the spiral 5 and enclosing an angle with the straight line joining the centers of the disc 3 and the pin 4. The pivotal axis 7 of the key 6 extends in parallel to the axis of the balance. The key 6 is freely adjusted in the regulator 1 and made integral with a support 10 made in one piece with a spring 11, the free end of which is applied against the rim of the regulator 1 or of the arm 9. The spring 11 tends to make the key 6 of the regulator pivot in counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1) so as to clamp the spiral. The length of the active portion of the spiral 5 is thus determined by the point at which it is clamped between the pin 4 and the key 6.

2,724,946 Patented.- .Now v29, 1-955 In order to change the regulation without endanger; ing. the spiral 5, the length ofthe active portion 05 the spiral must be increased or diminished by displacing the regulator after having pened the p nch formedby the pin 4 and the key 6t These two operations: (openingof the pinch and rotation of the regulator 1') are brought about by asing'le push exerted against the support 10 at one of the two p ints indicated in; the draw ing y the arrows A and B; to speed or slow up the clockwork action; a

The key' 6 and the Support 10 turn: until being: are rested by a check which is here constituted by the head of the pin 4 before carrying. alongthe regulator I.

By interrupting. the action exerted on the support 10-,- one allows the key- 6' to resume i s normal position inwhi h it pin hesthe piral 5.

I wishitto be understood than I do not desire to'be limited to the details shown in the drawing and scribed in the specification for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a hairspring regulating device for watches in combination, a rotatable regulator and a key pivotally mounted on said regulator, said regulator and said key being rotatable around non-coaxial axes, a pin fixed to said regulator, a hairspring elastically clamped between said pin and said key, an abutment limiting angular displacements of said key, and a controlling head fixed to said key and formed with two controlling surfaces situated on both sides of the geometrical line passing through the center of rotation of said regulator and the center of rotation of said key, one surface being situated on one side of the center of the key, the other surface being situated beyond said last center with respect to the center of the regulator, whereby the key can be rotated around its axis in one direction independently of the push exerted, the hairspring is free until it meets the abutment and the regulator can rotate in one and in the other direction, according to which of both surfaces it has been pushed on.

2. In a hairspring regulating device for watches in combination, a rotatable regulator and a key pivotally mounted on said regulator, said regulator and said key being rotatable about non-coaxial axes, a pin being fixed to said regulator and a hairspring being clamped between said pin and said key, an abutment limiting angular displacements of said key, and a controlling head fixed to said key and provided with two controlling recesses situated on both sides of the geometrical line passing through the center of rotation of the regulator and the center of rotation of the key, one recess being situated on one side of the center of the key, the other recess being situated beyond said last center with respect to the center of the regulator, whereby the key can be rotated around its axis in one direction independently of the push exerted, while the hairspring is free until it meets the abutment, and the regulator can rotate in one and in the other direction, according to which of both recesses it has been pushed on.

3. In a hairspring regulating device for watches in combination, a rotatable regulator and a key pivotally mounted on said regulator, said regulator and said key being rotatable about non-coaxial axes, a pin being fixed to said regulator and a hairspring being in clamping relation with respect to said pin, an abutment limiting angular displacements of said key, a controlling head fixedly to said key and a resilient arm integral with said head urging said key into clamping relation with respect to said pin, said head being provided with two controlling surfaces situated on both sides of the geometrical line passing through the center of rotation of the regulator and the center of rotation of the key, one

surface being situated on one side of the center of the key, the other surface. being situated beyond said last center with respect to the center of the regulator, whereby the key can be rotated about its axis in one direction independently of the push exerted, while the hairspring is free until it meets the abutment and the regulator can rotate in one or in the other direction, according to which of both surfaces it has been pushed on.

4. Ina hairspring regulating device for watches in combination, a rotatable regulator and a key pivotally mounted on said regulator, said regulator and said key being rotatable about non-coaxial axes, a pin fixed to said regulator, a hairspring elastically clamped be tween said pin and said key, a controlling head fixed on said key, an extension of said pin protruding out of said regulator and said head abutting against said extension to limit the angular displacements of said key. said head being formed with two controlling surfaces situated on both sides of the geometrical line passing through the center of rotation of the key, one surface being situated on one side of the center of the key, while the other surface is situated beyond said last center References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 180,531 Boynett Aug. 1, 1876 2,589,717 Marti Mar. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 464,956 Great Britain Apr. 28, 1937 197,913 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1938 256,274 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1949 495,781 Belgium Sept. 16, 1950 272,612 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1951 273,136 Switzerland Apr. 16, 1951 

